Improvement in weighing-scales



S. S. HITCHCOCK.

WEIGHING-SCALE. v No.175.248. v Patented March 28,1876.

N. PETERS, PNOTO-UYHOGRRPHER, WASl-HNGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

SILVESTER S. HITOHOOOK, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WElGHlNG-SCALES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 175,248, dated March 28, 1876; application filed May 24, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SILVESTER S. HITCH-- COOK, of Des Moines, in the county of Des Moines and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Weighing'Scale; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,- forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a top view of my improved scale, a portion of the timbers of the platform being broken away to show the mechanism more clearly. Fig. 2is a vertical section in the line 00 an of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section of a portion of the scale in the line 3 y of Fig. 1. Fig.4 is an enlarged sectional view, showing a portion of theplatform and one of its corner suspenders and connections thereof. Fig. 5 is a section of a portion of one of the corner suspenders of the platform and connections thereof in the line z z of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 shows longitudinal sections of the ends of two of the weighing-levers.

The nature of my invention consists in cer tain constructions and combinations, as hereinatter described and specifically claimed, whereby several advantages are secured: First, greater strength in the suspenders of the platform 5 second, avoidance of the liability of the parts being so strained as to cause the scale to work untrue; third, case in adjusting the levers to the links which connect them to the scale-beam; and, fourth, facility for shortening or lengthening the weight-carryin garm ofthe scale-beam in case any inaccuracy should be found to exist after the scale has been set up for use; fifth, prevention of breakage and derangement of the parts from sudden jars and concussions when the article to be weighed is thrown upon the platform.

A is an ordinary scale-beam, in all respects similar to those in use, except that the curved part a, to which the weights are hung, is made separate from the beam proper, and constructed with a sleeve, b, through which the end of the beam is passed.

This sleeve is furnished with a clamp-screw, 0, so that the part a may be confined upon the beam at any point desired.

With this construction,if the beam is found to be too short to balance a weight acting against it, it can be lengthened to the proper extent by moving the part a on the beam and fastening it with the clamp-screw; or, if the beam is too long, it can be shortened to the degree required by moving the part a in a reverse direction and clamping it at the proper point. This saves an immense amount of the time required to adjust the scales for accurate weighing. v

The scale-beam A is connected to two an gular rockinglevers, B B and G G, by means of links D D, stirrups E E, and adjustable slides. F F, the stirrups being constructed with conical pivot-bearings d d, which fit in conical sockets d d in the slides F F. The slides F F are constructed with oblong slots and fastened to the levers by set or clamp screws 6 6. By having the sockets d d formed in adjustable slides the length of the levers can be accurately adjusted with respect to one another and to the conical pivot-beariugs d d. The slides have a broad, flat bearing upon the levers B O, and they, in turn, keep the conical pivot-bearings firmly in any position they may be set. It is important, sometimes, to adjust the pivot-bearings so that they shall stand in the same vertical plane, and these slides admit of this adjustment. Again, should the levers be made in one piece, too short or too long, they would be useless. But when made in two pieces, as I show, this loss cannot occur.

In all respects, except the addition of the slides and the manner of suspending, these levers are of ordinary construction.

The levers B B G O are suspended from the inner sides of the platform-frame G by means of brackets H H H H. These brackets consist each of an L-shaped plate, perforated horizontally and vertically, and having two separated bearings, H H in the top of which wide concave notches f may be formed, or not,

as deemed best. The four plates are bolted or screwed to the inner vertical faces of the end timbers of the frame in which the platform is hung; and by their portions B to horizontal steps or ledges g 9 extending inward from the end timbers, as shown.

By this means a firm solid support for the levers is secured, and the necessity of hanging the levers upon supports made pendent from above is avoided, and thus that wrenching and twisting action upon the i'rame Gr, experienced when the levers are so hung, is prevented. This is an important change, as the strain very often breaks the timbers, or so disarranges the relation of the parts, as to render the scale very imperfect in its operation.

Each of the levers is provided with two sets of knife-edge pins, h h, one pin being on each side of the lew'er-arm i, and directly over the center ofthe lever. These pins rest in the concave notches f f of the bearings H H or on the flat surface thereof, according as they are constructed, and can move longitudinally back and forth. Each of said levers is also provided with two sets of knife-edge pins, Z l, in its said arms 5 i, at points which are considerably on one side of the axes of the lever. On these knife-edge pins l l, stirrups m hang, and into the stirrups foot-brackets n n of the platform pass. The crossbars of the stirrups are made with a knife-edge, and bear against the l rackets n n, as shown.

The knife-edge bearings and parts below are to be shielded or covered in any proper manner so asto be protected from sleet and freezing.

By hanging the platform, as just described,

it is free to vibrate squarely, and each of its suspenders has two knife-edge bearings on the arms of the levers, which construction gives great firmness and steadiness.

M is a check for preventing the platform moving suddenly in a longitudinal direction. This check is attached loosely to a pin or bracket, N, of the platform, and to a pin, 0,0f a bracket attached to the frame G, in which the platform moves.

The bracket-arms H of the corner-supports for the platform may be made fiat instead of concave, if deemed desirable, and any proper device may be arranged on the inner side of the plate H, to relieve the beams from danger of breakage or injury from sudden jars, by easing down their motion and a hood or cover may be attached to or over said plate, or made part thereof, to protect the bearings from rain, sleet, snow, and dirt.

By my improvements the cost of first-class scales is reduced about twelve dollars, and at the same time a far superior article is produced.

I am aware of the Letters Patent granted to J. Weeks, No. 150,805, and also the patent granted to T. Fairbanks, May 11, 1875, and I do not claim the plans of construction shown in said patents.

I do not claim as my invention a double stirrup supporting the inner ends of the scalebeams by conical bearings, vertically one above the other, as this device has been before used; nor do I claim the means whereby the adjustability of the levers is secured, as shown in patentto Fairbanks, dated 1859; but,

What I claim is-' l. The scale-beam having the end to which the weights are hung, made adjustable by means of a sleeve and suitable fastening, substantially as described.

2. The levers B B O 0, having vertical slots in their opposing ends, and provided with the slides F F, having conical sockets formed in them, and which sl des are attached to the levers B B O G, and made adjustable thereon by means of set screws or bolts passing through said plates and the vertical slots in said levers, in combination with the links E E, having conical bearings, substantially as and for the purposes described.

SILVESTER s. HIrcHoocK.

Witnesses J. M. BALLINGER, V. E. RowLEY. 

